UNESCO HIV and Health Education Clearinghouse

Addressing cross-generational sex: A desk review of research and programs

PRB, 2007. 82 p.

Authors:

Hope, Ruth

Organizations:

Population Reference Bureau

Description:

Current interest in cross-generational sex is largely due to the feminization of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Young women 15-24 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa are three times more likely to be infected with HIV than young men of the same age, four times more likely in Zambia, and a staggering five times more likely in Zimbabwe. But, in fact, ministries of education and others have had curricula and materials addressing the “sugar daddy” phenomenon for many years. Concerns of ministries of education initially focused on girls dropping out of school due to unintended pregnancies and on school girls involved in sexual relationships with older (often married) men who
persuaded them to have sexual relations by providing small presents and favors such as school books and car rides. The purpose of this review is to look beyond the quick diagnoses and labels, and examine the literature on cross-generational sex with three objectives in mind: to define the phrase in programmatically relevant terms, to summarize what is known on the behaviors and their prevalence, and to take a look at interventions that have begun to address the behaviors.